1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to an assembly that indicates the weight of fungible goods stored within an opague bin, and more specifically relates to an assembly that measures such weight to a high degree of accuracy in that the assembly includes physical means that, in effect, provides a mathematical determination of the weight of the goods.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A search of U.S. patents that was conducted prior to the submission of this disclosure indicated that the following patents have been issued in the general field of this invention:
______________________________________ Patentee U.S. Pat. No. Date of Issue ______________________________________ Corwin 2,329,437 09-14-43 Zimmerman 3,685,356 08-22-72 Liet, et.al. 4,057,295 11-08-77 McGown, et.al. 4,248,088 02-03-81 ______________________________________
The field of search covered Class/Subclass 33/1B, 52/245, 73/290, 322.5, 426, 427, 116/200, 226, 228, 280, 306, 307, 321.
Corwin shows a small household container having transparent walls provided with graduations. However, it is impractical to construct feed bins and the like with transparent materials.
Zimmerman's device requires that the contents of the container be conveniently positioned in a conical pile at all times. Since feed or grain stored in upstanding bins normally arranges its uppermost profile in a variety of differing configurations, the Zimmerman device does not solve the inventory problems encountered in connection with such bins.
Liet's assembly accomplishes the charging and discharging of fungible goods into and out of bins, respectively, but includes no means for determining the contents of the bin, by weight, at any given time.
McGown's apparatus has relevance only in the context of determining liquid levels within a container, and thus has little relevance in the context of the field of this invention.
Feed and grain suppliers typically own livestock and pay individual farm owners to feed and house the animals. Accordingly, the owners of the livestock make a strong effort to monitor the consumption of feed and grain at each location where their animals are fed and otherwise cared for. Thus, it is important that the feed and grain suppliers be provided with accurate inventories of the contents of the bins where the feed or grain is stored.
Most bin owners inventory their bins by climbing a ladder mounted to the bin and locking inside. After a rain, or during the winter, the steps of the ladder may be dangerously slippery. Another, less direct method for determining the level of goods within the bin involves the tossing of pebbles against the side of the bin until the level of goods is ascertained by locating the apparent level thereof. This acoustical method, like the visual inspection method, often results in inaccurate inventories. Feed and grain suppliers are thus unable to optimally schedule deliveries of such goods to the bins. Moreover, the suppliers are somewhat unable to monitor feed and grain consumption to any meaningful degree of accuracy.
In view of the present state of the art, there is a need for an assembly that conveniently and accurately reports the contents, by weight, of an opague bin to an observer stationed outside said bin.
The needed assembly should have a simple construction so that it would be economical to manufacture and thus affordable to bin owners. The assembly should be easy to operate, and should not require extensive modifications to existing bins. Moreover, and perhaps most importantly, the needed assembly should be able to measure the contents of the bin within a high degree of accuracy.